Breech-loading ordnance



(No Md'el.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. R. J. GATLING.

BRBEGH LOADING ORDNANGE.

110.311,973. Patented Peb. 10,1885. 1; wg

(No Model.) 3 sheets-sheet 2,

R. J. GATLING.

BREEGH LOADING ORDNANGE.

110.311,97). I Patented Feb. 10,1885.

WTNESES.

Y v um h I f 6, MZ/gj, ,a iwf/01.14, 2j Y 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. y 1 G.

ADI G DNANGE.

atented Feb. 10. 1885.

(No Model.)

R. J. G

BREEGH L0 No. 311,973.

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BREECH-LOADING ORDNANCE.

SPBCIFIOATIONYforming part of Letters Patent No. 311,973, dated Februaryl0, 1885.

Application filed June Q0, ISES. (No model.)

il? @ZZ whom it 11i/ty concern.-

Beit known that I, RICHARD J. GTLING, of Hartford, in the county ofHartford and State of Connecticut, haveinvented certain new and usefulImprovements in Breeeh-Loading Guns, and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, whereby aperson skilled in the art can make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon.

Like letters in the iigures indicate the same parts.

Figure l shows a side elevation of my improved gun with its mount. Fig.2 is a rear view of the gun. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of thebreech on the axis of the gun. Fig. 4t is a vertical longitudinalsection of the easing of the gun, with the barrel shown therein. Fig. 5is a vertical cross-section on the line l 2. Fig. 5 is a verticalcross-section on the line 3 41;. Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the gun.Fig; S is a rear view of the compressed air or steam mechanism forworking the gun. Fig. 9 is a view, partly in section, of these parts.Fig. l() is a plan view of these parts. Fig. ll is a central section ofthe lower part of the mounting, showing also the wayin which thebed-plate is supported by four beams.

My invention relates, especially, to the class ot' breech-loading gunsadapted for use in such positions as will best afford protection tovessels from the attack of torpedo-boats,`

and throwing a missile of at least six pounds in weight.

in the accompanying drawings, the letter A denotes the barrel of thegun; A', the breech, bearing the reciprocating breech-block L, C, theeasing, which partly incloses the barrel, and is shaped at the rearopening to conform to the outline ol" the enlarged rear portion of thebarrel, (see Fig. 5,) which is a cylinder flattened or slabbed ofi ontop, bottom, and two sides, to prevent the barrel from rotating in thecasing. On the outside of the casing are cast the trunnions T, andopposite to them, on the inside, is formed a diaphragm, that strengthensthe Casin g at this part and loosely ineloses the barrel ofthe gun, asshown in Fig. 6. lThe front end of the easing is closed by the nut D,whichiits so as to slide within the casing, and is securely fastened, asby screwthread or the like, to the barrel of the gun, but in such a wayas to adnit of longitudinal adjustment upon the barrel. In the spaceinside the casing between the central diaphragmand the nut D is placedan elastic packing, D, which may be a hollow cylinder of rubber or othersuitable material, or a metallic spiral spring, the ends of which bearon the diaphragm and nut, respectively. By means of this device theshock of the recoil on firing the gun is borne by an elastic substance,and the mountings of the gun thereby protected from any severe shock.This packing also holds the breech A tirml y against the rear of thecasing C, and returns it to contact after each recoil.

This gun is designed to be used with metallic cartridges, and the tiringand shell-ejecting mechanisms are contained in the reciprocatingbreechbloek B and in its seat in the breech. (See Figs. 2 and 3.) In thenormal position of the parts for loading the gun the feed-openingsthrough the breech-block and breech are in the line of the axis of thebore ot' the barrel, so that al cartridge can be inserted from the rearinto the tiring-chamber, located in the barrel justin front of thebreechblock. This position of the parts and cartridge in the chamber isshown in Fig. 3, which is a sectional view on a horizontal plane, and totire the cartridge their operation is as follows: The breech-block ismoved to the left, bearing with it in a recess or mortisc in the blockhammer O, mainspring It, and, in position to be struck by the pivotedhammer on its desc-ent, the ring-pin V. As the block approaches itsextreme left position, the heel or projection on the heel of the hammerO strik es against the pivoted cocking-pawl U, which is backed by itsseat against motion in this direction, and the hammer is lifted bytheonward movement of the block and the mainspring compressed. Themainspring It is a double leaf-spring, one end resting upon a pin fastin the breech-block and the other bearing upon one end of a pivotedstirrup, the other end of which is pivoted to the short arm of thehammer. 'When thebreech-block reaches the end of its left-hand stroke orplay, the breech is fully closed, the tiring-pin V is in line with thecentral primer oi' the cartridge, the heel of the hammer slips over andpast the cocking-pawl, and its head is brought sharply down onto thetiring-pin, which explodes the primer and cartridge. The ring-pin ismade rebounding by means of the IOO f the ejector is in line with thehorizontal censpiral spring arranged about it in its socket, so that itspoint is drawn back from the face of the block and cannot interfere withthe free movement of the latter in its seat. When the breech-block isreturned to its right-hand position, the cocking-pawl U is swung outwardon its pivot, the spring Uyielding as theheel of the hammer pressesagainst the pawl, but returning the latter to place as soon as thehammer has passed. As the breech-block ap proaches its right-handposition the breech is opened, and the empty cartridge-shell is ej ectedby meansof the ejector V and the ejectorpawl X. The ejector WV is setinto the upper left-hand part ol' the front face of the seat in whichthe breech-block B slides. (See Figs. 2 and 3.) One arm of the ejectorreaches to the chamber, and here forms a quarter of a circle, resting infront of and against the rim or head of the cartridge. The lower edge ofter line of the gun, and extends to the left side of the breech. Herethe ejector is pivoted on the vertical ejector-pin w, and while allparts of the ejector to the right of this pin are even or iiush with thewall of the breechblock seat to the left a short arm or heel of theejector protrudes to the rear into this seat. A horizontal slot is cutinto the left front side of the breech-block, to allow the ejector toswing on its pin when the breech is open.

In the left hand of the breech -block B is pivoted the ejector pawl X,in such position that when the right-hand stroke of the breechblock hasnearly opened the breech the inclined side of this pawl X strikesagainst the heel of the ejector, and the pawl, not being able to swingout of the way in this direction, presses the heel of the ejector Vforward, rotates the ejector on its pin, throws its other arm backward,and so ejects the empty cartridge-shell from the chamber and the breech.The last part of the right-hand stroke allows the ej ector-heel to slipover and past the point of the ejector-pawl, and a spiral spring seatedunder the short arm of the ejector returns the saine to its firstposition and the other arm to its place around the chamber. In case thisspring should break or become inoperative, the ejector, not beingreturned to its seat, would continue to protrude into the bore of thebreech block. To prevent this and the breech block from crushing againstthe eX- posed ejector, there is formed on the lower edge of the ejectora small protruding lug below the horizontal centerline of thegun. Therear face of this part inclines to the front and right, and should thelong ejector-arm stand in the way of the breech block the left side ofthe breech-block, forming the bore or opening, which is slotted only tothe horizonal center line, strikes against this inclined part, whichextends below the center line, and the breech-block, movingto the right,presses the ejector into its proper seat. The ejectingpawl X swings onits pin out of the way when it strikes against the ejector-heel at thestar Vof the righthand or closing stroke, and byits spring is returnedto its first position.

From the foregoing description, in connection with the drawings, it willbe seen that the breech-block reciprocates laterally in the breech ofthe gun, and the force or power for operating the breech-block iscomparatively equal. The gun is mounted by its trunnions in thetrunnion-boxes, which are on the upper part of two uprights of theswivel S. The swivel rests upon the bed-plate I), and its centralpivotis inserted into the socket of the bed-plate. The bed-plate is bolted totwo timbers running parallel to the bulwark of a ship, and twocross-timbers unite the former and help to carry the gun and mount. Fig.Il.) The segment-gear H is fastened under the front and rear end of thecasing C, and a horizontal shaft, s', penetrates through the uprights ofthe swivel S at right angles to the axis of the gun. A spur-gear, I, issplined upon this shaft so as to work into the segmentgear H.

On the right end of the shaft s', and on the outside of the rightswivel-upright, is placed the gear-case K, which can turn on the shaft,and is locked in any desired position by a spring catch-bolt, o', placedon the swivel S over the caseK,and holding the case K by lockinginto oneof a series of slots cut into the periphery of the case K.

In the case K,fastened on the shaft s,is the worm-gear J, and under it,working into J, is the worm L. This worm is splined and pinned to thesighting-lever M, which, being set in bearings formed for it in the caseK, extends to the rear, and carries on its end a handwheel. By turningthis hand-wheel and lever M and worm L, it is evident that the wormgearJ is revolved, and with it thegear-shafts and the spur-gear I, whichworks in the segment-gear H, and by this means elevates or depresses thegun. The lateral motion is at the same time given to the swivel S and tothe gun by pulling the lever Min the desired sidewise or horizontaldirection.

In order to reduce the friction, and consequently the necessary exertionfor this lateral training, to a minimum, the bottoni of thepivot-socketofbed-plate P is closed by a screwcap, q, (see Figs. l and11,) and in this cap is set a strong screw-bolt, r, with a check-nut.`In the lower end of the swivel-pivot is fastened the hardened-steelstep t, the lower end of which finds a seat in a recess or cup turnedinto the end ofthe bolt r. The pivot of S being slightly tapered, a verysmall amount of raising it by turning the bolt r will free it, so thatit works easily in the socket, and when the swivel S is thus slightlyraised from the bedplate P and only works on the step t, a small lateralexertion on the sighting-lever M will range the gun as desired. Iheposition of the trunnions is such that the gun is balanced onthem. Thescrew-cap q is filled with oil before thepivot is inserted into thesocket,

and it will exclude dirt from the step and its (See ICO

ITO

bearing, and will lubricate both. Afurther strengthening against anyexcessive shock of recoil from extreme charges of powder is the flange fon the front edge of swivel S, which h'ts under a corresponding seat, a,of the bedplate I?. The swivel, on mounting it, is set with one of theuprights forward-1T. c., the axis of the trunnionboxes crossing itsproper position until the pivot is in its socketw-and the flattened sideof the upright allows the swivel to take its place on the heel-plate Pwithout striking against the flange-scatta. A quarter-revolution of theswivelthen brings it into its true position, the flange f sliding intoits rest a. Between the two uprights of the swivel is bolted thevalvechestG, which is connected by elastic tubes h h with the ends ot'the cylinder E, fastened under the breech A of the gun, parallel to thebreech-block B. This cylinder is closed on each end by a cover, and init Works a piston, a, fast to a pistonrod, b, which penetrates throughthe cylindercovers, and is on each end connected with the breech-block Bby the connecting-arms FLF and bolts d d. (See Fig. 2.) The elastictubes h 7L from the valve-chest connect with ports ou either' end of thecylinder. In the valvechest works the slide-valve 7a on the valve-rod Z,and steam or compressed air is supplied to the valve-chest bythefeed-pipe z'. The steam exhausts forward ot' the swivel by theexhaust-pipe j, The slide-valve rod Z is connected by the leverarn1 awith the roekshaft m, and the lever-arm if on the other end of therock-shaft m connects with the rod o under and parallel to thesighting-lever M. The rear end ot' rod ois hung to the firing handle ortrigger N, which slides loosely on the lever l\I. (See Figs. l, 8, 9,I0.) The slide-valve, cylinder, and piston act like the well-known partsof like names of a steamengine. When the firinghandle or trigger N ispulled to the rear, the slide-valve allows steam or compressed air toenter the righthand port ofthe cylinder, and in consequence the piston,and with it the breech-block, travel to the left, closing the breech andtiring a shot. After this a push on the firing handle or trigger N inthe opposite direction, sending steam or compressed air to the left portof the cylinder', opens the breech, ejects the empty shell, and makesthe gun ready for loading again. The elastic tubes h h prevent therecoil of the gun from breaking the connections between cylinder andvalve-chest.

I am aware that a training mechanism has heretofore been made composedoi' a segmentrack attached to the under side of the breech of the gun,and arranged to be engaged by a worm carried by a shaft journaled in anarm projecting from a yoke carrying the gun, so that it may swivel in asocket; and I do not broadly claim such device.

I claim as my invcntion-- l. In combination, the gun-barrel, theadranged to reciprocate laterally of the axis of n the gun in iiring thecharge, all substantially as described.

4. In a breech-loading gun, a breech-block bearing the hammer,mainspring, and firingpin, in combination with thepawl attached to thebreech, whereby the hammer is oper ated by the motion of thebreech-block, all substantially as described.

5. In abreech-loading gun, in combination, the reciprocatingbreech-block bearing the pivoted ejector-pawl, and the breech-piecebearing the pivoted ejector, all substantially as described.

6. In combination, the breech-piece, the pivoted ejector, and thesliding breech-block with pivoted ejector-pawl, by the transverse motionof which the ejector is operated, all substantially as described.

'7. In a device for mount-ing a gun, the bedplate P, having apivot-socket closed by the cap q, in combination with the hardened stept, the screw-bolt r, and the check-nut, all substantially as described.

S. In a gunfmount, in combination, the swivel S, the shafts', bearingthe spur-gear I, and the worm-gear J, the rotary sightinglever M,bearing the worm L, and the segmental gear H, fast to the gun or itscase, all substantially as described.

9. In a gun-mount, in combination, the bedplate I, the swivel SQmechanism for adjusting the gun, the rotary sighting-lever M, bearingthe tiring-handle N, and the connected steam, compressed-air, or likemechanism for iiring the gun, all substantially as described.

10. In a gun-mount, the combination, with a swivel bearing the gun, ofmechanism for adjusting the gun through the medium of a sighting levercarrying a firing-handle, substantially as described.

l1. In a gun-mount, the combination, with IOO IIO

the swivel S and shaf f s and geaiwheels, of

